FIVE men have been arrested and charged with theft of a motor car and armed robbery after a Chelsea Heights McDonald’s restaurant was robbed of $3000, at about 11.50 pm, Thursday 20 April.
Police described four men who entered the store as being of African appearance. A fifth waited outside in a stolen Nissan Maxima sedan.
Two of the men went behind the counter while two stayed with the cashier at the front. One carried an iron bar.
Four cash register drawers containing $200 each were stolen before the duty manager was forced to open the main safe and about $2500 was stolen. The offenders also took the manager’s iPhone.
The getaway car managed to avoid a police blocking attempt in the car park but was tracked by the Air Wing and intercepted at Noble Park North, 12.30am, Friday 21 April.
Police say the men were involved in two other armed robberies on Thursday 20 April: at a Caltex service station in Notting Hill and at a McDonald’s in Springvale where they allegedly took cash, mobile phones and a handbag, before escaping in the stolen Nissan.
The car was later found extensively damaged, with a scissor blade stuck in the ignition barrel. About $1800 cash, four mobile phones, assorted gloves and clothing, purse, handbag and black backpack was strewn around the inside, with more cash and cigarettes in the boot.
The men, aged 17-19, of Dandenong, Cranbourne, Hampton Park and Cranbourne, will be presented for remand applications at a later date.
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 26 April 2017